Go and do likewise

And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." – Luke 10.37

A rich young ruler came to Jesus asking about eternal life. ‘What do I need to do to have eternal life?’ he asked. Jesus responded ‘how do you read the law?’ The ruler rightly said ‘love the Lord your God absolutely and love your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘Do this and you will indeed live,’ said Jesus. ‘But who is my neighbour?’ asked the young man.

Jesus then told the famous story of the Good Samaritan. A Jewish man was travelling to Jerusalem when he was attacked and left for dead by the side of the road. He lay there while a priest and a Levite ignored him, even crossing the road not to have to look at him. Finally a Samaritan saw him and stopped. Samaritans and Jews did not get along – at all. Yet, the Samaritan helped him, treated his wounds, took him to an inn, and paid for his care.

The young ruler had to admit, in response to Jesus’ question, that the Samaritan was the man’s neighbour.

‘Go and do likewise’ was Jesus simple response.

So here is the test of ‘Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your might, and love your neighbour as yourself.’ And it case we missed it our challenge is the same as the young man’s. ‘Go and do likewise.’

We can’t get away from it. The proof of our loving God is in how we love our neighbour, even our ‘enemy neighbour.’ In this case even our religious enemy neighbour.

We seem to think it is okay to hate if the object is those who don’t follow our God. These are troublesome days as evidenced by the vitriol spewed at Muslims and others who are ‘not like us.’ This is not of God. The Samaritan showed us that our neighbours can be the people we tend to hate.

How are we doing in loving them?